The Dallas Stars are without an owner, just lost their most talented (and most marketable) player to free agency and are a team without an identity. Despite all this, the Stars will find themselves on national TV eight times during the 2011-2012 season, five more appearances than they had last year.

The eight national appearances is the highest total that the Stars have had in four years. The increase in TV spots looks like another attempt by the NHL to promote hockey in the southern parts of the U.S.

All but one of the Stars’ national broadcasts will be on the Versus/Soon-to-be NBC Sports Network.